Mad Love
by Bring Me the Cake
Summary: He had used his antics as a way to cope with the struggles life presented him with; she was the only one who understood that. (A series of one-shots surrounding Harley Quinn and The Joker.)


_**A/N: I know that this theme has probably been done a thousand times, but I wanted my first story on Fanfiction to focus on my two most adored characters in Batman. I based this story on the 1999 "Mad Love" episode from The New Batman Adventures, so it closely follows the dialogue in it. I'm slightly nervous about posting because I'm afraid to mess up, but I hope that anyone who reads it enjoys the story nonetheless. All reviews and critiques are welcomed. Thank you for reading! (: **_

_Mad Love_

The Joker had been a very honest, straightforward, and unique man. At least through the eyes of the psychiatrist that was appointed to treat the unstable criminal when he was locked away in one of Gotham City's top security asylums. He hadn't acted like the supposedly crazy, insensible, and psychopathic killer that his reputation had chalked him up to be. Yet, at the same time, she could sense the amount of torture he had endured prior to his "mental breakdown". He was like any other man until the world had ruined him to a point where he was substantially insane; if those were the words to define his state.

However, what Dr. Quinzel would soon realize was that there was no definition for such an enigma that was the man. He would refuse to share any information of himself other than his otherwise cloudy origin. And even then it would seem as though he was telling her a big lie. One minute it was the abandonment from his parents, the next he was the tragic victim of persistent bullying. The psychiatrist had noted in the back of her head that she couldn't trust anything that spilled from that mouth of his.

At least she had tried not to.

It had started with a note left on her desk one night after returning from the restroom; a letter written with a rather sloppy penmanship. Next to it laid a single crimson rose trimmed of its thorns, a rather appealing sight to the crystal blue eyes of the young woman. Was it a love note perhaps? It couldn't have been. Every man that was her co-worker around the facility had either been in their late forties, married with children or completely hideous. She narrowed her eyes in a perplexed manner. Had it been one of the prisoners locked up instead?

That would give rise to many more questions, however. Who had been intelligent enough to obtain a pen and paper when they were bolted up inside of a cell? Furthermore, how had they managed to sneak into her office without any of the security catching them? It couldn't have been one of them.

Curiosity had overwhelmed her series of logical thinking as she read the note silently to herself:

"_Come down and see me some time. J."_

Simple, yet intriguing. Especially since it had been the Joker that had sent it to her himself. It was uncanny to think that a man charged for numerous heinous crimes had wanted to get her attention and see her, but exciting nonetheless. This could have been her big break if she were to be the doctor to cure the Joker of his insanity. Not to mention the plethora of credentials she would receive. She smiled eagerly to herself before picking up the rose and giving into its sweet aroma with a big sniff.

She would take up on his offer for an unscheduled meeting, but only to see how this psychotic criminal was really like.

For some odd reason, her heart beat picked up with each step towards the mental quarters of the establishment. Surely she had been pretty crazy herself for attempting to meet up with him without protection from any of the guards there, but she also couldn't tell anyone about her going to see him. He would get in a great deal of trouble, but more importantly she would ruin her chance at advancing her career. Harleen kept her cool and straightened her posture before turning the corner to continue down a dimly-lit corridor. The floors were all metallic so the black pumps she sported clicked and clacked with each step. Paranoia began to set in as she came closer and she inevitably started to second guess herself. What if this had been a set up and she lost her job? It would be a horrible waste of ten years in med school and money…

Quickly, the psychiatrist shook her mind of the doubt. This would be her big chance, she reminded herself for the third time in the past five minutes. Everything would be worth it in the end. She would be superior to her fellow co-workers, and no one would longer look down at her as some dumb blonde that "must have" cheated her way through college and didn't know what she was doing. She could finally prove her passion for her occupation. And that same mentality imprinted itself in her brain until she reached his cell…

At first she couldn't see him through the large glass panel that allowed her to look inside his room. Just like everything else in the mental quarter, his cell was dim and eerie. The walls that would otherwise appear white during the day were now shaded by shadows that created a murky grayish hue. And the only visible object from where she was standing was a single, twin-sized bed held up by a metal frame. It looked rather uncomfortable seeing as though there was nothing on the mattress but a single sheet. Didn't he get cold?

Her eyes travelled the square for any sign of movement, but it appeared to have been vacant. The only section she could not see was the side adjacent to her, which was blocked by the actually door. He could have been expecting her to visit immediately and hid there but that would have been rather childish, even for him.

Just as her attention was running thin and she prepared to turn around, a loud scraping sound startled her to a point where she jumped several feet in the air. Her hand moved over the left side of her heaving chest as she gasped for the air that escaped her lungs when she gave an ear wrenching scream. When she was finally able to focus her attention back on the glass panel, she saw a pale face looking down at her with a wide red smile.

"Hello there, dear."

Annoyance boiled her blood as she realized she was tricked within seconds of meeting the obnoxious man. "Very funny, Joker", she said through small pants, her heart still thudding from the scare.

He laughed wildly before pressing his hands against the panel. Harleen blinked and looked around her for the second time that night. Wasn't he afraid of getting caught talking to her? She was sure that there would be consequences. But then again, here she was.

"I wouldn't be laughing so hard. I'm sure the guards wouldn't be too thrilled that you snuck out of your cell to leave that joke of a letter in my office," she threatened. He didn't flinch before cracking another sinister smile.

"And I'm sure if you were going to snitch, you would have done so by now, Doc."

The blonde woman swallowed and cleared her throat.

"Isn't it a coincidence? Your name, I mean. Harleen Quinzel…" He let the name "z" sizzle on his teeth. "Funny. If you rearrange that, you would get-"

"Harlequin, like the clown", she barked annoyed. "Yes, I've heard it a hundred times before."

The Joker laughed hysterically which only seemed to tick the psychiatrist off more. She turned her heel and began to walk off in the same direction she came. What a waste of time.

This didn't stop him from talking however.

"I just thought I would have someone to relate to in this damned world", he sighed heavily. "Someone that I could talk to… To hear my secrets."

At that moment, the woman paused. Her attention was completely taken by those four words. One of the city's most infamous evil masterminds were prepared to open up to her? To tell her the things that only a few to none would know? It was obvious that he was reaching out for help, for a person that he knew would give him the time of day. Her heart softened at his tone and weakened by his words. If there was any possible way for her to know these things, there wouldn't be a doubt in the world that she would get far.

She turned around and straightened the half framed glasses on the bridge of her nose, he was certainly convincing. "Setting up an appointment with you may take some time. But I'll see what I can get going."

He gave a sincere smile, "Oh thank you, Doctor. I owe you everything! I really do need someone to listen to me."

Harleen returned the smile with a nod before turning again to walk away.

Now, nearly three entire months later, she was able to sit down with the man and listen to his stories. Some were sad, some amusing, some shocking. Yet they all carried the similar pattern to him being abused in one way or another. Whether that was him being beat by his father, teased by the kids in his school or thrown into a huge tank of chemicals that finally triggered his insanity. Harleen's conclusion was that the world's malicious ways had tormented an innocent man that could only respond by resorting to mischievous antics. His jokes were a way to make life a comical enjoyment, to soothe the pain he had been forced to endure. He was living a tragedy each day- a nightmare that he couldn't escape.

He sighed deeply as he looked up at the ceiling of the office. His grey eyes scanned it as if he would find an obvious answer for his pain. Harleen sat back in her chair, clipboard in hand, recording every word and action. He was talking about his family once again or more specifically, his father. Based on everything he had said about him so far, he was a cruel man that was more focused more on his work than his own son. It reminded the psychiatrist of her own parents, pushing her so far in school to a point where she was practically a social outcast. Once she graduated highschool, she had no choice but to focus on college alone. She pushed herself hard studying night and day to get where she was. And even now, she was considered low on the tier on mental doctors. She wasn't fulfilled yet, not even ten years later.

"As I was saying, every time I got out of line, he'd ball up his fist and strike me right across my dome. Sometimes, I would sit there in shock, bleeding until the pain either subsided or I'd pass out. My mother wasn't around anymore to tell him no. And even if she was, she'd probably take a punch to the head as well. I was living in fear at that point… Suffering. Surviving."

Her bright eyes grew slightly in surprise, a visible frown on her dark, cherry red lips. She had told herself countless times that she couldn't always believe the things that came out of his mouth, but he was telling her this from the bottom of his heart. He was practically spilling his guts out to her. A murderer, a psychopathic killer, did not deserve even the tiniest bit of sympathy. Yet here she was frowning at his life story and wanting nothing more than to give him a hug before telling him that everything would be alright. He was certainly taking a toll on her.

"The only time I actually saw him happy was when he took me to the circus." A smile crept on his face before he exhaled, "Oh, I still remember the clowns running around and dropping their pants. My old man was laughing so hard that he nearly busted a gut!"

He cackled and stood from his seat. "So the next day, I put on his best Sunday pants and went outside yelling, 'Dad! Look at me!', and ZWOOP!" The madman dropped the bottoms of his prison garb showing a rather comical pair of red and white polka dot boxers. Harleen coughed out a laugh before covering her mouth in shock. "It ripped the crotch right out of them!"

In that moment, all emotions of sadness and remorse faded as their boisterous laughter filled the room. The Joker held his head high as he busted out into a loud chuckle and Harleen, a soft but steady giggle. The mood was airy and fluffy like a cloud, a seventh heaven that they both dreamed of escaping to. Harleen was laughing so hard that she nearly cried, her breath quickly depleted before she panted for air.

"And then he punched me."

She gasped.

Suddenly, the mood had quickly spiraled downwards again. He pulled his pants up before sitting down again. "But I guess there's a down side to every joke. You're always taking a hit from someone who just doesn't get it…"

After all the sessions they had, all the conversations and notes, and the emotional breakdowns, the psychiatrist had finally decoded the enigma that had begged for her help. Although it was obvious that he was tortured, she had understood why he had done the things he did. He was just a harmless soul faced with hardship and had found his own solution. Anyone who had been against him- including that forsaken Batman- were people who did not simply get the joke. They wanted to see him suffer more and more until he was broken. Harleen wanted to see him prevail, not fall. He had ended up becoming her savior. She had ended up being the one telling him her problems one night after their numerous times of meeting with one another.

"I realized that he was nothing more than a tormented soul that needed someone to listen- someone to guide him. So I was that someone who listened to his issues and became his friend. I spent most of my days figuring out why he acted the way he did and _how_ he did it. I broke the wall of insanity for a brief moment to experience his emotions and now…" The doctor sighed and timidly glanced at the ground, "As unprofessional as it sounds, it would seem as though I have fallen in love with one of my patients…"

At that moment, Harleen closed her eyes and clenched her teeth tight, readying herself for a cruel rejection. Her heart was beating rapidly while her nerves crawled underneath her skin. For some odd reason, her office felt shockingly colder than usual. She was foolish for ever saying what she just had out loud; there would be no use anyway.

"Ah", he was smiling down at her when she opened her pretty blue eyes. "Who could blame you? You've been working all your life to fulfill the dreams of others, to prove to people that you were worth more than the measly position they would always place you in. I can understand why you need some sort of escape from it all- a catharsis. And now, you've finally found it."

Her heart fluttered as she sat up and grinned widely, her eyes sparkled like a child's. "Oh Mister J! I knew you'd understand!"


End file.
